OBITUARY

New Zealand Tablet, 16 November 1916, Page 56

OBITUARY

MRS. JOHN CU'LLEN, ASHBURTON. Another old Peninsula identity passed away on Friday last at Ashbnrton in the person of Mrs. John Joseph Cullen, late of Akaroa (says the Akaroa Mail of October 31). Mrs. Cullen was born of Irish parents at St. Helens, Lancashire in 1840. She was married when eighteen years old and arrived in New Zealand in 1859 with her husband in the ship Zealandia. Mr. and Mrs. Cullen came directly to Akaroa, where they had all the privations of the early pioneers, and Mrs. Cullen proved herself of sterling worth amid those rough conditions. She had a family of thirteen children, of whom four predeceased her. Her husband died in 1886. lie was a prominent townsman, being on the Akax*oa Borough Council for many years, and helping to build up the borough to its present state of prosperity. Mrs. Cullen resided in Akaroa up to 14 years ago when she settled in Ashburton with her son, Mr. John Cullen. She had lived there ever since, dying on Friday last. It was her special wish that she should be buried with her husband, and the body was brought here for burial in the Akaroa Cemetery. She leaves two sons and seven daughters—Mr. John Cullen (Ashburton), Detective Cullen (Auckland) and Mesdames 11. Cullen, F. Narbey, P. Grealy, F. Cooper, Harnett, Robinson, and Miss P. Cullen. She leaves 31 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Her story is that of many other of the early settlers. Coming out from England to a rough, uncivilised country, she helped her husband to literally hew a home for themselves and their children, and it is to the work of these early pioneers that New Zealand owes her present prosperity. Deceased was a practical Catholic and a very old subscriber of the N.Z. Tablet. —R.I.P. MR. MICHAEL NASH. There passed peacefully away, on October 27, another old Tuapeka identity in the person of Mr. Michael Nash, who died at his son-in-law's residence at Mataura, at the ripe old age of 82 years. The deceased, who was a native of County Clare, Ireland, emigrated with his young wife to Australia in 1860, and after working on various Victorian mining fields for about five years, was attracted to New Zealand by the glowing reports of gold discoveries in Gabriel's Gully, where he followed the occupation of miner for about thirty years. About twenty years ago, his family having grown up, he was able to retire from active work, and some five or six years ago left Lawrence to make his home with members of his family who had settled in other parts of Otago. He was a practical Catholic, and won the esteem of all those he came in contact with by his manly, straightforward character and kindly disposition, lie is survived by four daughters (Mrs. Mullin, South Dunedin Mr. Clent, Otaut.au; Mrs, Schruffer, Waikaia; Mrs. White, Mataura), 23 grandchildren, two of whom aro members of the Dominican Order (Sister M. Emily and Sister M. Finbarr), and one great grandchild, his wife, two sons, and one daughter having predeceased him some years ago. He was attended in his last illness by the Rev. Father. O'Donnell, of Gore, and died fortified by all the rites of Holy Church. The funeral took place on Sunday from St. Patrick's Church, Lawrence, and was very largely attended. As a tribute to deceased's memory the ' Dead March ' from ' Saul ' was played after the 9 a.m. Mass.—R.l.P.